


No End in Sight

by ElfGrove



Category: Sailor Moon - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Crystal Tokyo Era, Future AU, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, reflective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-08 13:59:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1943808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElfGrove/pseuds/ElfGrove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A one shot fic based on an ask box meme that requested, "use my OTP(s) to break my heart".</p><p>They had won -- but at such great cost...</p>
            </blockquote>





	No End in Sight

**Author's Note:**

> A one shot fic based on an ask box meme that requested, "use my OTP(s) to break my heart".
> 
> The original ask box sentence drabble was:  
> "Usagi and Rei had both died in a terrible battle that happened off world where no one saw. They had won -- but at such great cost. But the kingdom had to survive. Too many planets, too many alliances depended on the existence of the Moon Kingdom, and Venus had always been meant as her body double. Centuries laid out before her (Chibi Moon's visit years ago ensured that), and Minako had to spend them playing at being Sailor Moon without Rei there to support her."

Minako pressed her hand against the mirror’s surface, willing herself to remember the tiny details of her own face. The thin white scars and the wrinkles under the eyes. As a teenager she never dreamed that even in a million years she’d be grateful for wrinkles, but she was. No one knew this face anymore. No one ever saw this face anymore, save herself. The wrinkles were still slight, especially for her centuries of age, but Usagi had never had them. They were hers. They reminded her that under the disguise, Minako still existed. Ever so quietly, Minako lived on.

It was the hardest mission her Queen had ever called her to, and there was no end in sight. What she wouldn’t give for Rei’s shoulder to cry on some days. Even if it would be followed by a harsh scolding, Rei would have let her cry first.

"Mama?" The familiar voice of her princess, the heir to to the new Silver Millenium, echoed through the Queen’s private chambers. Beneath it, Minako heard the rhythmic tap of Mamoru’s shoes on the tile.

She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to watch the transformation again as she held the Crescent Compact and it’s long-unchanged image against her chest while she whispered, “Crescent Moon Power, Transform into Neo Queen Serenity.”

Pink hair bobbed around the corner as Minako straightened shoulders that both were and were not hers, and lifted a chin that should have sat on a different woman. It was a somber smile that greeted Small Lady, “Good Morning Chibiusa. How are your studies going?”

The girl, nearly 200 years old and still a child in every sense of the word, turned her head guiltily, looking every inch like Usagi had when she wanted to hide poor test scores in English or Math.

"Good Morning Serenity," Mamoru smiled gently, walking over to place a chaste kiss on her forehead, against the crescent moon symbol that was only an illusion.

"Good Morning Endymion," She knew her humor sounded forced, she was having a rough morning of it today. "I see you’re encouraging her delinquency again. Mercury will be furious."

He only smiled in response, taking up both her hands and patting them gently between his. He understood some days were more difficult than others.

Thank the goddess Mamoru knew. She didn’t think she could deal with his not knowing nor could she imagine how she could have hidden the truth from him for long. That he never called the queen “Odango” or any of the hundred pet names he had shared with the real Usagi anymore went over most peoples’ heads. She did not know how to be a better, or more emotional false mother to Small Lady. She saw too much of her lost friend in the little girl’s every movement.

The Guardian Senshi knew. The King knew. His Shitennou knew. That was the end of it though. The Outer Senshi at least suspected, but never spoke of it.

Sailor Mars had fallen in an intense battle nearly half a century ago. Sailor Venus had been so horribly scarred in that same battle that she never appeared in public save to defend the Queen, and even then she stayed in the shadows. Only the Queen, King, and the other two living Guardian Senshi interacted with her directly these past 50 years. -- That was the official story at any rate.

In reality, both Moon and Mars had died. Venus was scarred, but not that horribly. Instead, she was acting as the Queen nearly 24-7. Her old role as Serenity’s body double being used to full effect. She was rarely undisguised, even with her fellow Guardians. She could count on one hand the number of times she’d spoken to Makoto and Ami with her own face in the last 20 years. They assured her that they knew, and it was more important she not risk letting the secret slip. Mamoru rarely shared her bed at all, instead doting on Small Lady, for which she was grateful.

Mercury entered the room and immediately began scolding Small Lady for neglecting her studies while Jupiter leaned against the door frame regarding her with a raised eyebrow. She only nodded, smiled, and kept playing the distant Queen Mother that a time traveling Chibiusa would complain to them of nearly 700 years from now.


End file.
